By Basant El-Faramawy
World number one Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament due to a neck injury, the WTA announced on Thursday.
The Kazakhstani player, who leads the women's rankings, cited the injury as the reason for her withdrawal from the WTA 500 event in Tokyo.
Rybakina's absence marks a significant blow to the tournament, which features several top-ranked players competing on outdoor hard courts.
